My Journey through the Boise State EdTech program

Introduction

I am Jen Crook. My husband Daryl and I have been married for 22 years and have managed to keep 4 children and a dog alive. We call ourselves successful parents! Our oldest is BriAnna, she is 20 and serving a LDS church mission in Hong Kong, China. Our son Jaiden is almost 18 and about to be a senior in high school. Makynlee is 13 and headed to 8th grade. Tessa is our little firecracker who constantly keeps us laughing. She is 10 and nearly a 5th grader.

I always knew I wanted to get a master’s degree but raising children took priority. About 2.5 years ago I began my journey and recently became a licensed K-8 teacher in the State of Utah. After some serious contemplation and familial struggles, I decided the Boise State Ed Tech program was a better fit for me. Although I lost a lot of classes, I don’t regret my decision to transfer. I love technology and I know that technology in education is the future. My son has struggled with extreme depression and bipolar disorder and has spent 9 months in a residential treatment facility in 2014. He has found that the traditional classroom was one piece of the puzzle that didn’t fit in his life and that online learning was better suited for him. Because of this, I have decided that teaching online is exactly what I hope to do someday.

Here is just a snapshot of our “perfect” family photo. We are not a perfect family and I hate showcasing the traditional perfect family photos. We have gone through so much as a family and our journey is far from over. This particular photo makes me so happy because for this one split second in time, I know we had pure joy. With a teen suffering with such deep depression, that isn’t easy. This photo is just one small moment in time when my children were all happy and that makes me VERY happy.